The invention generally pertains to medical devices, and more particularly to medical guidewires such as intravascular guidewires.
Guidewires are commonly used in conjunction with intravascular devices, for example intravascular catheters or other such devices, to facilitate navigation through the vasculature of a patient. The vasculature of a patient may be very tortuous. It is often desired that certain portions of a guidewire have lateral flexibility characteristics as well as pushability and torqueability (tortional or rotational stiffness) characteristics.
The invention provides several alternative designs, materials and manufacturing methods for medical devices such as guidewires. Some example embodiments include a guidewire including an elongated assembly or member adapted and configured to provide for lateral flexibility characteristics as well as torqueability characteristics.